Afish slice is akitchen utensil with a wide, flat blade with holes in it, used for lifting and turning food while cooking.[1] It may be called aslotted spatula or aturner[2] orflipper.[3] The utensil was originally designed as a serving piece rather than a cooking implement.
The fish slice was originally an item ofsilver service used for serving fish at a dining table and was generally made of silver orSheffield plate rather than copper or tinned iron to avoid the possibility of affecting the taste of the fish.[4]
The first known slices intended specifically for serving fish were mentioned in 1730.[4] Starting with the 1740s they were often shaped as or decorated with representations of fish.[4] By the 1770s, large numbers were manufactured.[5] By the early 1800s, mostflatware services included a fish slice.[4] Antique examples commonly appear at auctions[6] and are held in the collections of multiple museums.
The term evolved to refer to any slotted or pierced implement used for turning foods when frying them; modern versions are available in many materials such asstainless steel,nylon, andsilicone and are typically undecorated and shaped as spatulas.[citation needed]
TheVictoria and Albert Museum has an extensive collection ofmetalwork fish slices fromBritain and theUS and includes both contemporary and historical pieces. Manufacturers include functional items, for example some fromJosiah Wedgwood[7] to more sculptural contemporary works by Ane Christensen.[8]
Other examples of serving slices include those for serving cakes, pies, and other desserts; thepudding trowel or pudding trowle is a predecessor of the fish slice.[4][5]
